About Us
Founded in 2004, Free the Hops is a grassroots organization formed to help bring the highest quality beers in the world to Alabama.
We have passed significant legislation, including the Gourmet Beer Bill that legalized beer with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of more than 6% and the Brewery Modernization Act that legalized brewery and distillery tasting rooms. We also supported the legalization of homebrewing and serve as a watchdog for craft beer consumers in Montgomery.
We have hosted the Magic City Brewfest in Birmingham since 2007 and the Rocket City Brewfest in Huntsville since 2009. These two festivals are the premier craft beer events in Alabama.
Since late 2019, Free the Hops is a program of the Alabama Brewers Guild. The management is led by a Governing Committee of dedicated consumer volunteers.